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CELEBRATING THE GLORIOUS TWELFTH....WELCOME TO THE ' REAL' FOREST OF BOWLAND

Friday, 19 November 2010

Going from bad to worse!

Well it didn't go from bad to worse actually as it started quite well and ended quite well too, but the bit in the middle was almost crucifying, in any case you should read 'Straight Talk' by Alan Tilmouth before my miserable records from today's efforts with JB/BT, as it says just about everything I would have said on the matter had I decided to.

Linnet. John Bateman.

Thanks to JB who took the photograph of the female Linnet last Tuesday near the set-aside at Cockersands which has attracted an estimated 200 'finches' at times.

So off we went in the direction of Kendal in search of Waxwings - not my kind of birding but there you go - we called in at Pine Lake to see the Slavonian Grebe giving good views in good light at the eastern end of the lake. Now the day becomes a bloody bore to be perfectly honest as we call at Holme Mere to find everything taking to flight as we arrived but I did get the chance to note a solitary Pink-footed Goose flying off with Pochard, Wigeon, and Tufted Duck. Now we're at Sizergh Castle for goodness sake looking in vain for Hawfinch and if I'm not careful I'm going to scream like a spoilt little brat. We came away from here with 4 Long-tailed Tits in my notes.

Now we're at Kendal driving round Kendal Green looking for bloody Waxwings, followed by a run up Appleby Road looking for the same, well OK I know they're an enigmatic bird but....come on, from a personal point of view I'm trying my best to convince everyone that I really am a birder!

We're now into our fourth hour of the day﻿ just riding around and I'm silently becoming something of a wreck, but wait - in keeping with the title of today's post it's - 'going from bad to worse' - 'cos now we're in the 'Hawfinch Hunters Heaven' at Woodwell, this is not funny anymore and we leave with a Jay and 2 Coal Tits in my notes.

But wait....nearly five hours into the JB/BT/PW Friday and the final push in search of the 'target bird' found us on Stankelt Road in Silverdale and yes you guessed it, 20 Waxwings at the junction of Stankelt Road/Hazelwood and all's well that ends well....Alleluia and Amen.

And finally....

Lanceolated Monklet. Colin Bushell.

Two young little beauties in Peru with my thanks to CB who recently returned from his trip there, his website is HERE for some more accounts and photographs of trips to the Amazon and beyond. ﻿